The British Library The British Library http://sounds.bl.uk/JISC ASR IPR STATUS LIST.xls George Withers interview, part 12 1CDR0012200 (copy of C1033/297) Bob and Jacqueline Patten Collection George Withers talks about himself. Born at Barton St David near Somerton 7th June 1924, had four older and one younger sisters. Family left there when he was three to live at Coldharbour at Donyatt. Farms that they have owned. Moved to Isle Abbotts 25 years ago. Father was very fond of singing but preferred ‘drawing room songs’. He’s noticed that Sharp’s Folk Songs of Somerset Vol. 3 [English Folksongs 2] contains ‘Brimbledown Fair [Roud Folk Song Index No. 171] which his father sang, Sharp collected this song from [James] Bishop who was on the next farm to where dad was living. Father used to sing while milking. Mother knew a lot of songs as well [gets out his copy of Baring Goulds Songs of the West]. This ‘swatting up’ is a recent thing, performing at festivals has led to his ‘tidying up’ his act, with regards to the songs, as opposed to his early performances at village concerts ‘the more I do it the more I love them’. 1995-03-04 Horton, Somerset, England, UK English sound Withers, George, 1924- (speaker, male) Patten, Bob (speaker, male) Patten, Jacqueline (speaker, female) 44100 16 00:08:36 44100 16 00:08:36 44100 16 128 kbps 00:08:36 44100 16 192 kbps